When Kai met Capoeira…

When Kai met Capoeira…

I attended Mojuba’s capoeira workshop this weekend. They were a very memorable, special, 10 hours(currently these are private: Day one, Day two), which I shall treasure for the rest of my life.

The icing on the cake happened on day two, when Joanna Dobson – Author of the fascinating and evocative Altai Pilgrim Blog and translator, introduced a very special guest: Nogon Shumarov, from the Altai mountains in Siberia.

Nogun Shumarov is a throat singer (Kai), and on this video he plays the topshur. Fortunately I had my phone on me, as we were about to take notes and I didn’t have a notepad. Due to a change of plan, this magical performance happened. And Mestre Poncianinho asked us to film, as his iPad had ran out of battery. I also happened to sit in a great position for filming. It’s not often that everything comes together so nicely, so I have learned to appreciate moments like this.

What follows is a unique performance, perhaps the only time both cultures met in this way: an improvised encounter of Capoeira and Kai. Enjoy! We certainly did.

The Berimbau Calls An Unusual Guest

At the seminar for Mojuba capoeira students held this weekend at the Dance Attic, the berimbau (played by Kebrado) called Ponciano Almeida (Guarini Dance Company) and Nogon Shumarov (Altai Throat singer, Honoured Artist of Russia, playing the topshur) to join the sounds of “Kai” (Altai throat singing) with contemporary dance. The roots of two ancestral cultures join in five minutes of pure improvisation. Creativity such as this is food for the gods.

text by Joanna Dobson

Nogon Shumarov, Mestre Poncianinho e Professor Kebrado

Then Nogon did two solo performances for us. What a special two days they were, I shall never forget them!